2017 K-8 Suggested Summer Reading Lists by Guided Reading Level

Academic research studies have shown that students who participate in summer

reading programs or engage in free voluntary reading during the summer return to

school in September ahead of those students who don’t participate in these activities.

Don’t let your child fall victim to the “summer slide!” How can you help?

● Encourage your child to spend time reading for pleasure during the summer.

There’s no better way to spend a hot afternoon than curled up in a cool spot

with a great book.

● Sign your child up for one of the great summer reading programs sponsored by

the Cranford Public Library. Programs are available for children of all ages.

● Model reading for pleasure in your home. Make a variety of materials (books,

magazines, newspapers, comic books) available and let your child see you

enjoying them. There’s no better endorsement than your example.

To help you get started, take a look at some of the books featured below. Summer

reading lists are also available at the Cranford Public Library.

Have a great summer! Happy reading!

Mrs. McCloskey Mrs. Pavlak

Mrs. Romano Mrs. Waxman

Reading Levels A-B-C-D

Berenstain, Stan. The Berenstain Bears, Big Bear, Small Bear. (Fiction Series)

Canizares , Susan. Who Lives in a Tree? (Nonfiction)

Carle, Eric. Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? (Picture Book)

Freeman, Don. A Rainbow of My Own (Picture Book)

Ginsburg, Mirra. The Chick and the Duckling (Picture Book)

Gomi, Taro. Who Hid It? (Picture Book)

Hoban, Tana. A Children’s Zoo (Nonfiction)

Jenkins, Steve. Big & Little (Nonfiction)

Leonard, Marcia. Hop, Skip, Run (Fiction)

Meister, Carl. Tiny the Snow Dog (Fiction Series)

Pinnell Gay Su. School (Fiction)

Rylant, Cynthia. Puppy & Mudge Has a Snack (Fiction Series)

Saunders-Smith, Gail. Boats (Nonfiction)

Tafuri, Nancy. The Ball Bounced (Picture Book)

Willems, Mo. Cat the Cat, Who is That? (Fiction Series)

Williams, Sue. Let’s Go Visiting (Picture Book)

Ziefert, Harriet. Sleepy Dog (Fiction)

Reading Levels E-F-G-H

Arnold, Tedd. Hi! Fly Guy (Fiction Series)

Capucilli, Alyssa. Biscuit (Fiction Series)

Dean, James. Pete the Cat My First I Can Read (Fiction Series)

Ginsburg, Mirra. Across The Stream (Picture Book)

Hoff, Syd. Danny And The Dinosaur Go To Camp (Fiction)

Howe, James. The Day The Teacher Went Bananas (Fiction)

Hutchins, Pat. Titch (Picture Book)

McNamara, Margaret. Eloise Ready-to-Read (Fiction Series)

Manushkin, Fran. Katie Woo (Fiction Series)

Mayer, Mercer. Little Critter At Scout Camp (Fiction Series)

Meister, Carl. I Love Rocks (Fiction)

Parish, Herman. Amelia Bedelia Hits the Trail (Young Amelia Bedelia Series)

Rustad, Martha. Manatees (Nonfiction)

Rylant, Cynthia. Annie and Snowball (Fiction Series)

Saunders-Smith, Gail. Animals in the Fall (Nonfiction)

Saunders-Smith, Gail. Koalas (Nonfiction)

Schaefer, Lola. An Island Grows (Realistic Fiction)

Seuss, Dr. Fox In Socks (Picture Book)

Willems, Mo. Should I Share My Ice Cream? (Elephant & Piggie Series)

Ziefert, Harriet. The Turnip (Folklore)

Reading Levels I-J

Aardema, Verna. Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain (Folklore)

Adler, David. Young Cam Jansen (Mystery Series)

Adler, David. Bones Mysteries (Mystery Series)

Bingham, Kelly. Z is for Moose (Picture Book)

Cazet , Denys. Minnie & Moo (Fiction Series)

Chaconas , Dori. Cork & Fuzz (Fiction Series)

Cohen, Miriam. When Will I Read? (Fiction)

Fox, Mem. Hattie and the Fox (Picture Book)

Galdone, Paul. Henny Penny (Folklore)

Hoberman, Mary Ann. You Read to Me, I’ll Read To You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read

Together (Short Stories)

Jacobson, Jennifer. All About Bats (Nonfiction)

Kann, Victoria. Pinkalicious And The Cupcake Calamity (Fiction Series)

Litwin, Eric. Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons (Picture Book)

O’Connor, Jane. Fancy Nancy And The Too-Loose Tooth (Fiction Series)

Pilkey, Dav. Dragon Tales (Fiction Series)

Rylant , Cynthia. Henry & Mudge (Fiction Series)

Rylant , Cynthia. Mr. Putter & Tabby (Fiction Series)

Rylant , Cynthia . Poppleton (Fiction Series)

Shaw, Nancy. Sheep on a Ship (Picture Book)

Sill, Cathryn. About Amphibians: A guide for children (Nonfiction Series)

Strathearn, Chris. Splat the Cat I Can Read Books (Fiction Series)

Willems , Mo. Elephant & Piggie (Fiction Series)

Reading Levels K-L

Adler, David. Cam Jansen (Mystery Series)

Cole, Joanna. Hungry, Hungry Sharks (Nonfiction)

DiCamillo, Kate. Mercy Watson (Humor Series)

Galdone, Paul. The Gingerbread Boy (Folklore)

Howe, James. Pinky & Rex (Fiction Series)

Howe, James. Houndsley and Catina (Fiction Series)

Jacobson, Jennifer. Andy Shane (Fiction Series)

Jenkins, Steve. Actual Size (Nonfiction)

Kline, Suzi. Horrible Harry (Fiction Series)

McNulty, Faith. Dancing with Manatees (Nonfiction)

Meadows, Daisy. Rainbow Fairies (Fantasy Series)

Montgomery, Lewis. Milo & Jazz (Mystery Series)

Mosel, Arlene. Tikki Tikki Tembo (Folklore)

Numeroff, Laura. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (Picture Book)

Parish, Peggy. Amelia Bedelia (Fiction Series)

Roop , Connie. Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie (Historical Fiction)

Sharmat , Marjorie. Nate the Great (Mystery Series)

Standiford , Natalie.The True Story of Balto: The Bravest Dog Ever (Nonfiction)

Yole, Jane. Commander Toad (Science Fiction Series)

The emergent reader will enjoy books that have won the

Theodor Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss) Award.

The Geisel Award is given annually to the author and illustrator of the most

distinguished American book for beginning readers published in the United States

during the preceding year.

2017 Medal Winner Keller, Laurie. We Are Growing: A Mo Willems’ Elephant & Piggie Like Reading!

Book

2017 Honor Medal Winners

LaReau, Kara. The Infamous Ratsos

Milgrim, David. Go Otto Go!

Pizzoli, Greg. Good Night Owl

Twohyg, Mike. Oops, Pounce, Quick, Run! An Alphabet Caper

Additional books for students entering 1st and 2nd grades

Barnett, Mac. Sam and Dave Dig a Hole (Caldecott Honor)

Brosgol, Vera. Leave Me Alone! (Caldecott Honor)

Ellis, Carson. Du Iz Tak? (Caldecott Honor)

Fern, Tracey. Barnum Bones: How Barnum Brown Discovered the Most Famous

Dinosaur in the World (Nonfiction)

Fleming, Candace. Oh, No! (Picture Book)

George Craighead, Jean. The Eagles Are Back (Nonfiction)

Kang, Anna. You Are (Not) Small (Geisel Winner)

Rocco, John. Blizzard (Picture Book)

Ryder, Joanne. Panda Kindergarten (Nonfiction)

Santat, Dan. The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend (Caldecott Winner)

Wenzel, Brendan. They All Saw a Cat (Caldecott Honor)

Reading Level M

Adler, David. Picture Book of… (famous people) series. (Nonfiction)

Barrows, Annie. Ivy & Bean series (Realistic Fiction)

Cooper, Ilene. Absolutely Lucy series (Realistic Fiction)

Dadley, Debbie. Bailey School Kids series (Fantasy)

Giff, Patricia Reilly. Polk Street School series (Realistic Fiction)

Greenburg, Dan. The Zack Files series (Fantasy)

Jenkins, Emily. Toys Go Out series (Fantasy)

Kelly David. Ballpark Mysteries series (Mystery)

Krulik, Nancy. Katie Kazoo series (Fantasy)

London, Jonathan. Hippos Are Huge! (Nonfiction)

McDonald, Megan. Judy Moody series (Realistic Fiction)

McDonald, Megan. Judy Moody and Friends series (Realistic Fiction)

McDonald, Megan. Stink series (Realistic Fiction)

Miller, Pat. The Quickest Kid in Clarksville (Historical Fiction)

Osborne, Mary Pope. Magic Tree House series (Fantasy)

Park, Barbara. Junie B. Jones series (Realistic Fiction)

Peterson, John. The Littles series (Fantasy)

Roy, Ron. Calendar Mysteries series (Mystery)

Sachar, Louis. Marvin Redpost series (Realistic Fiction)

Reading Level N

Brown, Jeff. Flat Stanley series (Fantasy)

Greenburg, Dan. The Zack Files series (Fantasy)

Hanlon, Abby. Dory Fantasmagory (Humor)

Holt, Kimberly Willis. Piper Reed series (Realistic Fiction)

Keene, Carolyn. Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew Series (Mystery)

Kelly, David. Ballpark Mysteries series (Mystery)

Kline, Suzy. Herbie Jones series (Realistic Fiction)

McNamara, Margaret. A Poem in Your Pocket (Realistic Fiction)

Preller, James. Jigsaw Jones series (Mystery)

Roy, Ron. A - Z Mysteries series. (Mystery)

Roy, Ron. Capital Mysteries series (Mystery)

Simon, Francesca. Horrid Henry series (Realistic Fiction)

Stanley, George. Third-Grade Detectives series (Mystery)

Thaler, Mike. Black Lagoon Adventures series (Humor)

Reading Level 0

Abbott, Tony. Secret of Droon series (Fantasy)

Clements, Andrew. Jake Drake series (Realistic Fiction)

Cleary, Beverly. Ramona series (Realistic Fiction)

Cummings, Troy. The Notebook of Doom series (Fantasy)

Danziger, Paula. Amber Brown series (Realistic Fiction)

Gutman, Dan. My Weird School series (Humor)

Hanlon, Abby. Dory Fantasmagory (Realistic Fiction/Humor)

Harper, Charise Mericle. Just Grace series (Realistic Fiction)

King-Smith, Dick. (Animal Stories)

O’Connor, Jane. Nancy Clancy Series (Realistic Fiction)

Penny Packer, Sara. Clementine series (Realistic Fiction)

Roland, Timothy. Monkey Me series (Fantasy)

Sternberg, Julie. Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie; Like Bug Juice on a Burger, Like Carrot

Juice on a Cupcake (Realistic Fiction/Novels in Verse)

Stilton, Geronimo. Geronimo or Thea Stilton series (Fantasy)

Warner, Gertrude Chandler. Boxcar Children series (Mystery)

Winick, Judd. Hilo, Book 1: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth (Fantasy-Graphic Novel)

Winkler, Henry. Here’s Hank series (Realistic Fiction)

Additional books for 2nd and 3rd graders!

Bishop, Nic. Various nonfiction books covering all topics.

Bunting, Eve. The Cart That Carried Martin (Nonfiction)

Castillo, Laura. Nana in the City (Caldecott Honor Book)

Cooper, Elisha. 8: An Animal Alphabet (Nonfiction)

De la Peña, Matt. Last Stop on Market Street (Realistic Fiction- 2016 Newbery Award

Book and 2016 Caldecott Honor Book)

Ellis, Carson. Du Iz Tak? (Caldecott Honor Book 2017)

Fleming, Candace. Giant Squid (nonfiction)

Floca, Brian. Locomotive (Caldecott Winner/Nonfiction)

Frazee, Maria. Farmer and the Clown (Wordless Picture Book)

Gibbons, Gail. Various nonfiction books covering all topics.

Klassen, Jon. Sam and Dave Dig A Hole (Caldecott Honor Book)

Kuhlmann, Torben. Armstrong: The Adventurous Journey of a Mouse to the Moon

(Fantasy)

Lewis, J. Patrick. National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry: More Than 200 Poems

With Photographs That Float, Zoom, and Bloom! (Poetry)

London, Jonathan. Hippos Are Huge! (Nonfiction)

Mattick, Lindsay. Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear

(Nonfiction-2016 Caldecott Winner)

O’Connell, Jennifer. The Eye of the Whale: A Rescue Story (nonfiction)

Santat, Dan. The Adventures of Beckle: The Unimaginary Friend (Caldecott Winner)

Seymour, Simon. Various nonfiction books covering all topics.

Silverstein, Shel. Various poetry books

Stead, Philip. Ideas Are All Around (Personal Narrative)

Steptoe, Javaka. Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat

(Biography-2017 Caldecott Medal)

Weitekamp, Margaret. Pluto’s Secret: An Icy World’s Tale of Discovery (nonfiction)

Reading Level P

Barshaw, Ruth. Ellie McDoodle series (Realistic Fiction)

Bruel, Nick. Bad Kitty series (Fantasy)

Corey, Shana. The Secret Subway (Narrative Nonfiction)

Henkes, Kevin. The Year of Billy Miller (Newbery Honor Award Winner)

Levine, Ellen. If You Lived…series (nonfiction)

Mattick, Lindsay. Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear

(Nonfiction-2016 Caldecott Winner)

Medina, Juana. Juana & Lucas (Realistic Fiction)

Messner, Kate. Marty McGuire series (Realistic Fiction)

McMullan, Kate. Dragon Slayers’ Academy series (Fantasy)

Miles, Ellen. Puppy Place series (Animal)

Sachar, Louis. Wayside School is Falling Down series (Humor)

Sciesczka, Jon. Time Warp Trio series (Time Travel)

West, Tracey. Dragon Masters series (Fantasy)

Reading Level Q

Andrews, Troy “Trombone Shorty.” Trombone Shorty (Autobiography)

Applegate, Katherine. Crenshaw (Realistic Fiction).

Baglio, Ben. Animal Ark series. (Animal)

Bell, Cece. El Deafo . (Graphic Novel/Memoir/2015 Newbery Honor Medal)

Birney, Betty. The World According to Humphrey and other Humphrey books (Fantasy)

Blume, Judy. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Fudge series (Realistic Fiction)

DiTerlizzi, Tony. Spiderwick Chronicles series (Fantasy)

Howe, James. Bunnicula series (Fantasy)

Hunt, Lynda Mullaly. Fish in a Tree (Realistic Fiction/Learning Dyslexia)

Jenkins, Steve, and Robin Page. How to Swallow a Pig: Step-by-Step Advice from the

Animal Kingdom (Nonfiction)

Kibuishi, Kazu. Stonekeepers Curse (Amulet series, Graphic Novel)

Lowry, Lois. Anastasia series (Realistic Fiction)

Mazer, Anne. Amazing Days of Abby Hayes (Series)

Tate, Don. Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton (Biography)

Vernick, Audrey. The Kid from Diamond Street: The Extraordinary Story of Baseball

Legend Edith Houghton (Biography)

Weston, Carol. Ava and Pip (Realistic Fiction)

White, E.B. Charlotte’s Web (Fantasy)

Reading Level R

Anderson, John David. Ms. Bixby’s Last Day (Realistic Fiction)

Brown, Peter. The Wild Robot (Fantasy)

Bryant, Jen. Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille (Biography)

Clements, Andrew. Books include School Story, Lunch Money, The Last Holiday Concert,

Frindle, The Report Card, No Talking and The Landry News.

Gutman, Dan. The Homework Machine and Return of the Homework Machine (Realistic

Fiction)

Harrold, A.F. The Imaginary (Fantasy)

Korman, Gordon. Kidnapped and On the Run series (Action Adventure)

Lord, Cynthia. Rules (Realistic Fiction/Disabilities)

Naylor, Phyllis. Shiloh series (Realistic Fiction)

Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet series (Adventure)

Rockliff, Mara. Mesmerized: How Ben Franklin Solved a Mystery that Baffled All of

France (Biography)

VanDraaen,. Shredderman series (Realistic Fiction/Heroes)

Winkler, Henry. Hank Zipzer series (Humor)

Reading Level S

Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ivan (Newberry Award Winner)

Dahl, Roald. Matilda. (Fantasy)

Davies, Jacqueline. The Lemonade War, The Lemonade Crime, The Bell Bandit, The

Candy Smash (Realistic Fiction)

Holm, Jennifer. Turtle in Paradise (Historical Fiction/Adventure)

Korman, Gordon. Zoobreak (Animals/Adventure)- Swindle (T), Showoff (U)

Lupica, Mike. The Comeback Kids series. (Sports)

Patterson, James. I Funny (Realistic Fiction)

Santat, Dan. Sidekicks (Graphic Novel)

Tarshis, Lauren. I Survived…series. (Historical Fiction)

Tashjian, Janet. My Life as a Book and My Life as a Stuntboy (Realistic Fiction)

Vernon, Ursula. Castle Hangnail (Fantasy)

Reading Level T

Angleberger, Tom. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda (series)

Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy (Historical Fiction/Award Winner)

Gantos, Jack. Joey Pigza books (Realistic Fiction/Disabilities).

Gutman, Dan. Baseball Card Adventure series (Sports/Time Travel)

Patterson, James. Middle School is the Worst and Middle School Get Me Out of Here!

(Humor)

Kelly, Armstrong. Loki’s Wolves (Fantasy)

Kessler, Liz. Emily Winsnap series (Fantasy/Mermaids)

Korman, Gordon. Swindle. (Animals/Adventure)- Zoobreak (S), Showoff (U) and more

Lord, Cynthia. Half a Chance (Realistic Fiction)

Mackler, Carolyn. Best Friend Next Door (Realistic Fiction)

Pastis, Stephan. Mistakes Were Made (Timmy Failure series, Humor)

Telgemeier, Raina. Smile (Graphic Novel/Middle School Girls)

Van Draanen, Wendelin. Sammy Keyes series (Mystery)

Reading Level U

The 39 Clues series. Authors vary but include Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman and Peter

Lerangis (Action Adventure)

Buckley, Michael. The Fairy Tale Detectives (Sisters Grimm series /Fantasy)

DiCamillo, Kate. Flora and Ulysses (Fantasy/Award Winner)

Franklin, Miriam Spitzer. Extraordinary (Realist Fiction)

Hunter, Erin. Warriors series (Fantasy)

Korman, Gordon. Showoff (Animals/Adventure)- Zoobreak (S), Swindle (T)

Mass, Wendy. Every Soul a Star (Realistic Fiction).

Mull, Brandon. Wild Born (Spirit Animals series/Fantasy)

Palacio, R.J.. Wonder (Realistic Fiction/Self Acceptance)

Pseudonymous Bosc. The Name of this Book is Secret

Urban, Linda. A Crooked Kind of Perfect (Realistic Fiction/Music)

Reading Level V

Collins, Suzanne. Gregor the Overlander (Fantasy)

LeFleur, Suzanne. Eight Keys (Realistic Fiction)

Funke, Cornelia. Dragon Rider (Fantasy)

Funke, Cornelia. Thief Lord (Detectives)

Gidwitz, Adam. A Tale Dark and Grimm (Series/Fantasy)

Giff, Patricia Reilly. Pictures of Hollis Woods (Historical Fiction)

Henkes, Kevin. Olive’s Ocean (Realistic Fiction)

Mass, Wendy. 11 Birthdays (Realistic Fiction)

Snicket, Lemony. Series of Unfortunate Events (Fantasy & Action Adventure)

Snicket, Lemony. Who Could that be at This Hour? (All the Wrong Questions

series/Mystery)

Stewart, Trenton Lee. Mysterious Benedict Society (Science Fiction & Action Adventure)

Reading Level W

DuPrau, Jean. City of Ember (Fantasy)

Graff, Lisa. Lost in the Sun (Realistic Fiction)

Hiaason, Carl. Hoot; Flush; Scat; Chomp (Realistic Fiction/Ecology/Award Winner)

Jamieson, Victoria. Roller Girl. (Realistic Fiction/Graphic Novel/2016 Newbery Medal

Honor Award)

Mull, Brandon. Fablehaven (Series/Fantasy)

Olson, Gretchen. Call Me Hope (Realistic Fiction)

Riordan, Rick. Percy Jackson series (Fantasy/Mythology)

Robinson, Sharon. Promises to keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America

(Nonfiction)

Selznick, Brian. Invention of Hugo Cabret (Historical Fiction/Award Winner)

Selznick, Brian. Wonderstruck: a novel in words and pictures. (Historical Fiction)

Smith, Jeff. Bone series (graphic novel)

Additional nonfiction books for students entering 4th and 5th grade

Varied authors. Who Was…?, Who Is…? and What Was…? Series (Levels N-X;

biographies and nonfiction)

Ferris, Jerry. Noah Webster & His Words. (S; Biography)

Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw. Dogs on Duty: Soldiers’ Best Friends on the Battlefield and

Beyond (Z; Military Dogs)

Hodge, Deborah. Rescuing the Children: The Story of the Kindertransport (Z; Holocaust)

Lorbiecki, Marybeth. Escaping Titanic: A Young Girl's True Story of Survival (Nonfiction)

McCarthy, Meghan. Pop! : The Invention of Bubble Gum (Nonfiction)

McKendy, Joe. One Times Square: a Century of Change at the Crossroads of the World

(Nonfiction)

Muntean, Michaela. Stay: The True Story of Ten Dogs (R; Dogs)

Simon, Seymour. Various nonfiction books covering all topics.

Smith, Lane. John, Paul, George & Ben (N)

Sweet, Melissa. Balloons over Broadway: the True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's

Parade (Nonfiction)

Townsend, Michael. Where Do Presidents Come From?: And Other Presidential Stuff of

Great Importance (R; Presidents)

Tyler, Marc. Bill, the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman. (X; Graphic Novel)

Vernick, Audrey. Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball

Team (Q; Narrative; Baseball)

Verstraete, Larry. Surviving the Hindenburg (U; Survival Stories)

Suggested Summer Reading List for Grades 6-8

Albee, Sarah. Bugged! How Insects Changed History. Students will learn more than

they bargained for about the impact of insects on human history.

Alexander, Kwame. The Crossover. Josh and Jordan Bell are awesome on the basketball

court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he's got mad beats, too, and he

uses his talent to tell his family's story in verse, in this fast and furious novel of family

and brotherhood, which won the 2015 Newbery Award.

Alexander, Kwame. Booked. In this follow-up to the Newbery-winning novel The

Crossover, soccer, family, love, and friendship take center stage as twelve-year-old Nick

learns the power of words and wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully,

and tries to impress the girl of his dreams.

Allen, Thomas B. Mr. Lincoln's High-tech War: How the North Used the Telegraph,

Railroads, Surveillance Balloons, Iron-clads, High-powered Weapons, and More to Win

the Civil War. Meet Abraham Lincoln, the nation's first hands-on Commander-in-Chief,

whose appreciation for the power of technology plays a critical role in the North's Civil

War victory over the less developed South.

Aguilar, David A. Cosmic catastrophes : seven ways to destroy a planet like earth.

Blending science, speculation, photographs, and striking, full-color digital art, the author

examines seven cosmic catastrophes that could decimate Earth, from a supernova

explosion to a potential alien invasion.

Barnhill, Kelly Regan. The girl who drank the moon. An epic fantasy about a young girl

raised by a witch, a swamp monster, and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, who must unlock the

powerful magic buried deep inside her. Winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal.

Bauer, Joan. Close to Famous. Everyone in the little town of Culpepper has a dream, but

nobody is even close to famous - until some unexpected events shake up the town and

its inhabitants-and put their big ambitions to the test.

Bell, Cece. El Deafo. Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going

to school and making new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your

chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, the

author chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with

the Phonic Ear, a very powerful--and very awkward--hearing aid. A Newbery Honor

book.

Black, Holly. Doll Bones. Three friends steal into the night on a perilous quest to satisfy

an unquiet spirit inhabiting a creepy doll.

Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. The war that saved my life. A young disabled girl and her

brother are evacuated from London to the English countryside during World War II,

where they find life to be much sweeter away from their abusive mother. A Newbery

Honor Book and winner of the Schneider Family Book Award (Middle School)

Bragg, Georgia. How They Choked: Failures, Flops and Flaws of the Awfully Famous

.The author pokes fun, plays up, and revels in the mistakes of 14 famous figures because

"There's nothing better than reading about how someone else messed up."

Brown, Don. Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans. A graphic novel

account of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in August of 2005, when the city of New

Orleans, Louisiana, and surrounding areas were flooded and more than fourteen

hundred people lost their lives.

Burgan, Michael. Breaker Boys: How a Photograph Helped End Child Labor. You’ve

heard that pictures speak louder than words. See the proof in this book that describes

how the compelling photographs of Lewis Hine and others brought to light the harsh

working conditions for immigrants, the poor, and the children working in mines,

factories, and mills.

Conkling, Winifred. Radioactive! : how Irene Curie & Lise Meitner revolutionized

science and changed the world. The fascinating, little-known story of how two brilliant

female physicists' groundbreaking discoveries led to the creation of the atomic bomb.

Cooper, Michael L. Fighting fire! Ten of the Deadliest Fires in American History and

How We Fought Them. Brings to life ten of the deadliest infernos this nation has ever

endured. With historical images and a fast-paced text, this is both an exciting look at

firefighting history and a celebration of the human spirit.

Davis, Kenneth C. In the shadow of liberty : the hidden history of slavery, four

presidents, and five black lives. Did you know that many of America's Founding

Fathers—who fought for liberty and justice for all—were slave owners?

Through the powerful stories of five enslaved people who were "owned" by four of our

greatest presidents, this book helps set the record straight about the role slavery played

in the founding of America.

Fleming, Candace. Amelia Lost: the Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart. One of

the enduring mysteries of the 20th century is the disappearance of aviator Amelia

Earhart. This book not only explores that disappearance, but goes back to study the life

of this daring woman, using maps, photographs and other primary sources.

Fleming, Candace. The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion and the Fall of Imperial

Russia. History comes to vivid life in Fleming’s sweeping story of the dramatic decline

and fall of the House of Romanov.

Freedman, Russell. Vietnam : a history of a war. In an enthralling book, Newbery

Medalist Russell Freedman provides a succinct account of perhaps the most puzzling

and contentious of America's wars.

Freedman, Russell. Because They Marched: The People’s Campaign for Voting Rights

that Changed America. For the 50th anniversary of the 1965 march for voting rights

from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, Newbery Medalist Russell Freedman has written

a riveting account of this pivotal event in the history of civil rights.

Friesner, Esther M. Threads and Flames. In 1910, thirteen-year-old Raisa travels alone

from Poland to New York City, where she discovers her older sister, who was supposed

to take care of her, has disappeared, leaving Raisa to accept a job at the Triangle

Shirtwaist Factory, where her life is changed once again after a tragic fire.

Green, Tim. Baseball Genius. An average kid with an above average talent for

predicting baseball pitches tries to help his favorite player out of a slump.

Grimes, Nikki. Planet Middle School. For twelve years, Joylin Johnson's life has been just

fine. A game of basketball with the boys-especially her friend Jake-was all it took to put

a smile on her face. Baggy jeans, T-shirt, and hair in a ponytail were easy choices. Then,

everything suddenly seems to change all at once.

Hesse, Monica. Girl in the Blue Coat. In 1943 Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, teenage

Hanneke--a 'finder' of black market goods--is tasked with finding a Jewish girl a

customer had been hiding, who has seemingly vanished into thin air.

Jacobson, Jennifer. Small as an Elephant. Abandoned by his mother in an Acadia

National Park campground, Jack tries to make his way back to Boston before anyone

figures out what is going on, with only a small toy elephant for company.

Lewis, John. March. In this riveting graphic-novel memoir trilogy, Congressman John

Lewis, a hero of the Civil Rights movement, recounts his childhood in Alabama and his

work towards equality. Winner of the National Book Award for Young People's

Literature.

Jarrow, Gail. Fatal Fever: Tracking Down Typhoid Mary. In a true story that reads like

fiction, the author describes the search for Mary Mallon, also known as Typhoid Mary,

who is thought to be the cause of the spread of typhoid fever in New York in 1909.

Lockhart, E. We Were Liars. Spending the summers on her family's private island off

the coast of Massachusetts with her cousins and a special boy named Gat, Cadence

struggles to remember what happened during her fifteenth summer. Read it before

someone spoils the ending!

Macy, Sue. Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom: (with a few

flat tires along the way). Through vintage photographs, advertisements, cartoons, and

songs, this book transports young readers to bygone eras to see how women used the

bicycle to improve their lives.

McClafferty, Carla Killough. Fourth down and inches : concussions and football's

make-or-break moment. Award-winning author Carla Killough McClafferty takes

readers on a bone-crunching journey from football's origins to the latest research on

concussion and traumatic brain injuries in the sport.

Napoli, Donna Jo. Treasury of Greek Mythology: Classic Stories of Gods, Goddesses,

Heroes & Monsters. Tap into the renewed interest in Greek mythology generated by

the Percy Jackson series and enjoy this beautifully illustrated and comprehensive

treasury.

Newman, Patricia. Plastic, ahoy! : Investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Plastic - it's used to make everything, from drink bottles and bags to toys and

toothbrushes. But what happens when it ends up where it doesn't belong--like in the

Pacific Ocean? Find out what scientists discovered when they set out to investigate the

Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Rhodes, Parker. Ninth Ward. New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina is the setting for

this tense novel that blends the drama of the catastrophic storm with magic realism.

Riggs, Ransom. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. On the brink of his

sixteenth birthday, something terrible happens to Jacob—something so terrible that it

splits his life into two parts: Before and After. Before, he was an ordinary young man

with a peculiar but doting grandfather. After, he discovers he isn’t so ordinary after all.

Nor are the “peculiar children” he meets at Miss Peregrine’s home. Look for the

sequels Hollow City and Library of Souls.

Rubin, Susan Goldman. Music Was It: Young Leonard Bernstein. This inspiring

biography chronicles the life of Leonard Bernstein from early childhood to his

triumphant debut at age twenty- as conductor of the New York Philharmonic at

Carnegie Hall.

Schlosser, Eric. Chew on this: everything you don't want to know about Fast Food. This

adaptation of Schlosser’s adult book, Fast Food Nation, will make you stop and think

before you gulp down that Big Mac.

Schmidt, Gary D. What Came from the Stars. In a desperate attempt for survival, a

peaceful civilization on a faraway planet sends its most precious gift across the cosmos

into the lunchbox of Tommy Pepper, sixth grader, of Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Schrefer, Eliot. Endangered. A girl, who has travelled with her mother to an animal

sanctuary for bonobos in the Congo, struggles to survive with the animals after

revolution breaks out and she and the animals are forced to flee into the jungle. Don’t

miss the follow-up novels, Threatened and Rescued.

Scott, Elaine. Buried Alive: how 33 miners survived 69 days deep under the Chilean

desert. In August 2010, thirty-three miners were buried alive, two thousand feet below

the surface of the earth. After seventeen tense days, just as hope was nearly gone,

rescuers made contact with the men. Joy broke out around the world—all thirty-three

men were alive! But it would be long weeks before they emerged from the mine. This is

an amazing true story about problem-solving, community, and real-life heroes.

Sheinkin, Steve. The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, mutiny and the fight for civil rights.

An astonishing civil rights story from a Newbery Honor winner, this book tells the story

of fifty black sailors who refused to work in unsafe and unfair conditions after an

explosion in Port Chicago killed 320 servicemen, and how the incident influenced civil

rights.

Tolan, Stephanie S. Applewhites at Wit’s End. Great changes are in store for the highly

creative and somewhat eccentric Applewhite family when money problems force them

to open a summer camp for gifted children. Don’t miss this hilarious sequel to Surviving

the Applewhites.

Van Wagenen, Maya. Popular: a memoir. Vintage Wisdom for a Modern geek.

Stuck near the bottom of the social ladder at "pretty much the lowest level of people at

school who aren't paid to be here," Maya has never been popular. But before starting

eighth grade, she decides to begin a unique social experiment: spend the school year

following a 1950s popularity guide, written by former teen model Betty Cornell. The

real-life results are hilarious, painful, and filled with unexpected surprises.

Wiles, Deborah. Revolution. It's 1964, and Sunny's town is being invaded. Or at least

that's what the adults of Greenwood, Mississippi, are saying. All Sunny knows is that

people from up north are coming to help people register to vote. They're calling it

Freedom Summer. Award-winning author Deborah Wiles uses stories and images to tell

the riveting story of a certain time and place -- and of kids who, in a world where

everyone is choosing sides, must figure out how to stand up for themselves and fight for

what's right. Also check out Countdown, the first book in the author’s 1960s trilogy.

Wolitzer, Meg. The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman. Twelve-year-olds Duncan Dorfman,

April Blunt, and Nate Saviano meet at the Youth Scrabble Tournament where they

realize that something more important is at stake than the grand prize.

Wolk, Lauren. Wolf Hollow. Twelve-year-old Annabelle must learn to stand up for

what's right in the face of a manipulative and violent new bully who targets people

Annabelle cares about, including a homeless World War I veteran.

Woodson, Jacqueline. Brown Girl Dreaming. The author shares her childhood

memories and reveals the first sparks that ignited her writing career in free-verse poems

about growing up in the North and South in the 1960s and 1970s. Winner of a 2015

Newbery Honor.

Woollett, Laura A. Big top burning : the true story of an arsonist, a missing girl,

and the greatest show on earth. Combining a gripping disaster story, an ongoing

detective and forensics saga, and vivid details about life in World War II-era America, Big

Top Burning is sure to intrigue any history or real-life mystery fan.